New Paper in Neuron.(2016)

Welcome !!

Open the New World!! Molecular Motor is a key of life.

In our society, vehicles such as trains, trucks and airplanes support our everyday life by transporting foods and electric appliances etc.
In our cells, including neurons, molecular motors work as transporters.
They move along microtubules, which is 25 nanometers in diameter, and transport membranous vesicles, protein complexes and mRNAs.
If you define the size of molecular motors as same as man, you will find them
carrying a 10 tons truck and running on a pipe of 5 meters in diameter at speed of approximately 100 meters per second from the earth to the moon!

Hirokawa Lab already discovered all of KIF (Kinesin superfamily protein) genes in mammals such as human and mouse.
Now we are conducting any kinds of experiments to elucidate all mechanisms of molecular motors!!